Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal D Woods.
Crystal D, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story has always been rooted in spirituality — long before I ever had a title, a platform, or an honorary doctorate. I grew up with a deep curiosity about life, purpose, and the evolution of the soul. From a young age, I recognized that we all have a choice in who we become. That understanding shaped my philosophy: life is a series of becoming, and every experience — good, bad, and indifferent — is part of that becoming.
I didn’t set out to be a coach or an author, my career goals were to be a Bio-Environmental Engineer, but life happens and I landed in a very unexpected industry. I started in the insurance industry at 23 years old and evolved into the personal development industry. What was supposed to be “just a job” turned into a career where I learned more about people than policies. My clients trusted me with not only their assets, but their fears, their hopes, and most importantly their peace of mind. Without even realizing it, I was already coaching — guiding people through difficult periods in their life, helping them to navigate uncertainty, and offering a safe space long before I ever used the word “transformation.” But beneath that professional success was a deeper calling. I’ve always felt connected to the mysteries of life, to the unseen, to the quiet whispers of purpose. Over the years, as I began to move further into the personal development industry, I was faced with challenges in different stages of my life which served as both teachers and catalysts. They stretched me, demanded I look inward, and ultimately pulled me toward the work I do today: empowering people to reclaim their identity, elevate their mindset, and return to the truth of who they are.
I was always the person others confided in — the listener, the advisor, the steady presence in their storm. That role never changed, but eventually, I realized it was time to honor that gift intentionally. Writing my book Reclaim Your Power: The Journey Back to Self was a turning point. It wasn’t just a book; it was a declaration, it was my journey back to self. It signaled the beginning of my path as a transformational life coach, speaker, and advocate for healing, identity, and justice.
Today, my work is the synthesis of everything I’ve lived: my spiritual grounding, my corporate excellence, my advocacy for the wrongfully convicted, my own personal evolution, and my lifelong desire to help people see themselves beyond their circumstances. I guide individuals through metamorphosis — the transformation of identity, mindset, and purpose — so they can rise into their next level with purpose, power and impact.
Every step I took led me right here, so I chose to align with it. .
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth? Not even close. But every challenge along the way shaped the woman and leader I am today.
One of the earliest and most defining struggles happened at a corporate conference years ago. I walked into a room filled with industry leaders — all seasoned, all confident, and none of them looked like me. I was the only Black woman in the room, and I felt it immediately. Not in a fearful way, but in a way that made me deeply aware of the weight of representation. That moment forced me to decide if I was going to shrink or stand firm. I chose to stand firm.
Being “the only one” taught me how to use my difference as impact — not insecurity. It taught me presence, resilience, and the power of walking into a room knowing you belong, even if no one else in the room understands the magnitude of what you carry. That experience didn’t just strengthen me; it clarified my assignment as a voice, an example, and a bridge for others who often go unseen. Beyond that, navigating visibility as a spiritually grounded introvert has been a constant stretch; one that requires me to embrace public visibility with courage and consistency while remaining authentic.
Another challenge has been the emotional labor of advocating for the wrongly convicted. That work demands a rare mix of compassion, resilience, and spiritual grounding. It’s heavy, sacred work — and I’ve had to learn how to carry it without letting it consume me.
And like many women, I’ve wrestled with self-doubt in seasons where I felt pulled in multiple directions. But each challenge — the corporate isolation, the visibility discomfort, the emotional weight of advocacy — pushed me into deeper alignment with whom I’m becoming. What I’ve learned is simple but powerful: the road doesn’t need to be smooth to have an impact.
To anyone facing adversity— your challenges are not proof that you’re unqualified. They are evidence that you’re being refined for something bigger. Stand firm. Keep walking. Let the pressure strengthen your purpose. What feels heavy now is carving the very strength you’ll need for your next level.
We’ve been impressed with CDW Innovative Solutions, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My company, CDW Innovative Solutions, LLC, was born at the intersection of purpose, lived experience, and spiritual grounding. While the business began with insurance education and personal risk guidance, it has grown into something far more aligned with who I am and the work I’m called to do.
What I do is simple, but transformative:
I help professionals in leadership roles who are overperforming while abandoning themselves — those who look successful on paper but feel disconnected, unfulfilled, or unseen on the inside. I guide them on a journey back to self: to remove the mask, reclaim their power, and elevate into their next level of purpose, power, and impact. I’m known for my ability to see beyond the surface — to get to the core of a persons identity, not just their goals. My coaching is rooted in truth, self-reflection, and soul work. This isn’t motivational fluff. This is metamorphosis.
What sets me apart is the integration of everything I’ve lived and learned. My background spans over 30 years in the insurance and personal development industries, where I built trust in deeply personal ways with clients navigating major life decisions. Additionally, my spiritual foundation, my experience as a speaker and advocate, and my humanitarian efforts, which recognizes not only my leadership, but my commitment to justice, empowerment, and humanity. Together, these give me a lens that’s both practical and deeply intuitive.
Today, CDW Innovative Solutions is entering a new era. I am rebranding and relaunching the business to reflect the depth and expansion of my work. This next chapter includes:
• Transformational intensives
• Workshops and mastermind experiences
• International speaking and thought leadership
• Group coaching offerings
• Exclusive one to one coaching
• And in the future, scholarships designed to support the next generation of emerging leaders
What I’m most proud of is the integrity and evolution behind the brand. CDW Innovative Solutions is not built on trends or catchy slogans — it’s built on truth, intentional transformation, and the belief that when we reconnect to the essence of our true selves, we become unstoppable.
What I want readers to know is this: My work is not just a service — it’s a sanctuary for those who are ready to return home to themselves.
A place for realignment.
A space for elevation.
A catalyst for those who are done shrinking and ready to rise with clarity, courage, and authenticity. This is an awakening of identity and purpose.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
The real danger isn’t in taking risks — it’s shrinking yourself to remain where you no longer belong; it’s allowing others to silence your voice and sacrificing your vision for the comfort of those who were never meant to shape your future. Most people define risk as something uncertain, unsafe, or unpredictable. But I’ve learned that the greater risk is staying in places that drain your spirit, silence your gifts, or numb your purpose. Playing it safe can cost you more than taking the leap ever will.
Yes, I’ve taken major risks — both personally and professionally — but some of the greatest risks I’ve taken have been connected to my advocacy work: standing for the liberation of the wrongfully convicted. Advocating for someone whose voice has been silenced by the system is not easy work. It demands emotional labor, spiritual strength, and unwavering courage. It forces you to confront broken systems, uncomfortable truths, and opposition from people who’d prefer you stay quiet. It can stretch your heart and test your resolve. But I believe in truth. I believe in justice. And I believe in standing on the right side of humanity, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. Fighting for the wrongly convicted is a risk — not because of the physical cost, but because of the spiritual and emotional weight it carries. You’re carrying someone else’s hope. You’re speaking where they’ve been muted. You’re challenging systems that were never designed for redemption. And yet… I stand firmly in it and will continue to fight for their complete liberation.
My faith grounds me, strengthens me, and aligns me with something greater than myself. When I advocate, I’m not operating from ego — I’m moving from compassion and service. From purpose. From obedience to the assignment The Most High placed on my life long before I understood it.
Another major risk in my life was choosing to evolve beyond a 31-year corporate career into authorship, transformational coaching, and public leadership. Stepping into the unknown required me to trust what I felt internally more than what I saw externally. And yes, even skydiving became a spiritual revelation for me. Suspended above the earth, I realized that fear was never the barrier — seeking guarantees is. That jump reminded me that everything I needed was already within me, and the only thing separating me from my next level was the courage to jump. So when I think about risk, I don’t think about fear.
I think about faith.
I think about alignment.
I think about purpose.
My perspective is simple: If the “risk” brings you closer to your true identity, your calling, or your God-given assignment, then it’s not a risk — it’s a necessary step into your destiny. And anything rooted in purpose will always carry you further than anything rooted in fear.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.crystaldwoods.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamcrystaldionne
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crysdawn-woods
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ crystal-d-woods-2015b6104
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAMCrystalDionne
- Other: https://linktr.ee/iamcrystaldionne
Image Credits
Waqas @ Fiver
Taurea Vision Avant
Jarvis Releford
Rhayna Photography
